


Big Things

by idrilhadhafang



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Age Changes, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Teachers, Fluff, Gay Kylo Ren, Gay Poe Dameron, Guidance Counselor Poe Dameron, Kylo Ren in Love, Light Angst, M/M, Minor Kaydel Ko Connix/Rose Tico, Phasma Ships It, Pining Kylo Ren, Soft Kylo Ren, Teacher Kylo Ren
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-20
Updated: 2019-06-20
Packaged: 2020-05-15 01:44:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19285561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: Kylo Ren has been in love with guidance counselor Poe Dameron for a while. He doesn’t know he’s far from the only one falling.





	Big Things

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Free Space — Unrequited Love/Pining
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing. 
> 
> Author’s Notes: I’ll be honest, I’m making it AU because I feel I’ve told this story in the canonverse over and over.

As far as Kylo knows, his stint at Starkiller High School is pretty much average. Just being the school art teacher, encouraging people to all but delve into the parts of themselves that society would prefer to hide. The Dark Side, as one of his students, Rey, joked. He had laughed at the time, but now thinking about it, it seems just about accurate.   
  
It’s one day on the way to Starkiller that Kylo parks in his usual place —  
  
— and the moment he hears the sound of a car door colliding with something, he knows that he absolutely fucked this one up. He gets out to assess the damage, and sees a rather short, rather...striking man (probably Latino) standing outside indignantly.   
  
“What the hell was that?” the man says.   
  
Kylo doesn’t know whether to snap back or be stunned by, honestly, how pretty the man’s voice sounds even when it’s clear that Kylo’s pissed him off something fierce. Instead, he says, “That was my usual parking spot! It wasn’t like I knew you would be there.”  
  
“Oh.” The man looks surprised for a moment. Then, “No harm done. I’ve just had a bad time coming here. Traffic is the worst.”  
  
“It really is. What’s your name?”  
  
“I’m Poe. Poe Dameron. I’m the new guidance counselor.”  
  
Poe. Unusual name, Kylo thinks, but then again, he’s one to talk, considering the name he took after splitting with his family (except his father). He wonders idly if anyone in the Dameron family was a horror fan.   
  
“Kylo Ren,” Kylo says.   
  
They walk inside, talking and chatting, and Kylo’s stomach can’t help but do flips all the while. He likes Poe, likes his sense of humor and easy warmth, and he doesn’t just take to people.   
  
***  
  
Poe gets situated nicely in Starkiller High School. The students adore him; not only is he good-looking (something that Rey comments on, and Kylo can’t help but feel jealous of Rey in that moment, even though there’s no chance that Poe will take advantage of her. She’s fourteen, after all, and Poe’s twenty-seven), but he’s caring and witty. He has a talent for making his charges feel at ease, and Kylo too.   
  
Kylo finds himself ranting about one of the teachers, Hux, one day, and he realizes that he’s ranting about this teacher to someone who he’s just getting to know. He apologizes, only for Poe to smile. “No, everything you said is right.”  
  
“Well, thanks,” Kylo says. Then, “You’re settling into the guidance counselor role pretty nicely.”  
  
Poe laughs brightly, a warm laugh that Kylo doesn’t mind at all. God, he doesn’t stand a chance against this man. “Guilty as charged.” He becomes serious. “I wanted to help people, really. There’s a lot of students who don’t really have it good...”  
  
Kylo thinks of Rey. She’s a foster kid living with Kaydel Ko Connix’s family, who rescued her from her physically abusive guardian, Unkar Plutt. Her real parents, drunks who abandoned her, aren’t exactly good parents either. He thinks of Finn, her current boyfriend, and Kaydel’s worries — as expressed to her friend Jess — about coming out to her parents as gay.   
  
“Yeah,” he says. “It’s a noble thing.”  
  
***  
  
The moment Kylo respects him is when he overhears a conversation between him and Rose Tico on the way home from working as an art teacher.   
  
Rose is talking to him in hushed tones. “...and I’m scared, y’know?” she says. “I thought I was...y’know, but now I’m scared about how my parents will react to me being...not that.”  
  
Poe leans towards her. “It’s 2019, Rose. I don’t think they’ll love you any less.”  
  
“Yeah, I know,” Rose says. “It’s just...my mom. I’m worried she’ll freak, and...”  
  
Her voice cracks. Poe looks at her. “If she’s a good mom, as long as you’re not doing something that’ll hurt yourself or anyone else,” he says, “She’ll accept you. Completely. Good moms are like that.”  
  
“Yeah. True.” Rose smiles faintly. “I mean, she’s generally been supportive. I guess it’s just...big.”  
  
“Not big enough to really drive a wedge between you. And even if she doesn’t...” Poe sighs. “I’ve been thinking about this, and there’s nothing wrong with you, Rosie. You’re going to have a bright future, and you’re gonna do great things. You’re an interesting person with interesting thoughts. All my charges are.”  
  
Rose’s smile grows brighter. “Wow. No one’s ever told me that before.”  
  
“They should.” Poe takes a deep breath. “You’re strong, Rosie. You’re gonna make it.”  
  
And as Rose leaves, Kylo approaches. “I caught it by accident,” he says.   
  
“So long as you don’t blab.”  
  
“No, what you said was right,” Kylo says. “I know Rose has been struggling with her sexuality for a while.”  
  
“If her parents are good parents, they’ll be there for her,” Poe says.   
  
(They are. And when Rose starts dating Kaydel Ko Connix, Kylo knows Poe’s done a good thing)  
  
***  
  
The small things start to build up. Their conversations. Poe’s continual caring nature, beyond it just being his job. The way he laughs. The way he smiles. It’s never the way he looked, Kylo thinks, though he is beautiful. It’s how he is — a loving, caring man the students are lucky to have.   
  
They’re all lucky. Kylo, meanwhile, is doomed, because he’s fallen for Poe Dameron and Poe can never return his affections. Kylo is likely insignificant to him. A brilliant, bright star can’t love you back.   
  
***  
  
At home, he draws his feelings. He doesn’t draw Poe; something in him fears it’ll be mistaken for stalkerish. But he draws landscapes, he draws abstracts, he draws everything else. He watches even as Poe interacts with the other teachers with jealousy, almost volatile jealousy that he’s ashamed of, deeply bottled up. He wonders how to woo Poe without it being stalkerish.   
  
It’s Phasma who calls him out on it. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but you’ve been acting like a teenager around Mr. Dameron.”  
  
Right. A teenager. Complete with fantasies that range from just holding hands to more explicit things.   
  
“Don’t feel bad,” Phasma says. “So has he.”  
  
“Oh.”   
  
“He won’t shut up about how great you are, and just earlier I overheard him talking with one of the staff about winning your heart. I believe he said you’re too good for him.”  
  
“Oh.” It feels like being struck by lightning, in the best way possible.   
  
Phasma sighs. “So either get together or at least stop being so blatant.”  
  
“Yes, ma’am,” Kylo says sarcastically.   
  
“And don’t get smart with me,” Phasma adds.   
  
***  
  
Poe is the one who ultimately tells the truth.   
  
“Phasma shouldn’t have blabbed,” he says in Kylo’s classroom. “But...I’m in love with you. I mean, you are the funniest, most talented, bravest man I’ve ever known. I’ve always felt like I wasn’t enough for you. Never never.”  
  
“Poe.” Even that idea makes no sense. The fact this beautiful, caring man loves him in return is nothing short of a miracle. “I love you too.”  
  
Poe kisses him, hard, and somehow, when their mouths open for each other, it feels right, natural. Kylo runs his hands through Poe’s hair, drawing the guidance counselor close as Poe moans — honest to God moans — into his mouth. They break away, grinning.  
  
“Pretty big?” Poe says.   
  
“Pretty big,” Kylo says.   
  
And yet here, it feels utterly right.


End file.
